This invention relates to an electrical switch, and particularly to an electrical switch capable of selectively providing a connection between an input contact and any one or more of a plurality of output contacts.
Such switches can be arranged to give a binary or other coded output, and find use, for example, as programming devices in electronic equipment.
Known such switches comprise a base of electrically insulating material carrying an input contact and a plurality of output contacts; a bridging contact capable of providing connections between the input contact and any one or more of the output contacts; and an operating member mounted on the base and movable relative thereto between a plurality of relative positions in each of which the bridging contact is caused to provide a connection between the input contact and a respective one or combination of the output contacts.
Such known switches are generally of complicated structure and are thus expensive and difficult to assemble.
According to this invention such a switch is characterised in that the bridging contact is fixedly mounted on the base in permanent connection with the input contact and has a plurality of resilient contact arms respectively associated with the output contacts, the operating member being formed with a plurality of cam projections adapted and arranged to engage the contact arms of the bridging contact as the operating member is moved relative to the base, thereby to urge the contact arms into contact with the associated output contacts.